Knotty Rumpelstiltskin
by DavidPresents
Summary: A damsel in distress version of the old story with a guest character from another fairytale. Rated for light bondage.


Once upon a time there was a damsel named Molly Miller who had long, wavy hair of flaxen blonde and amiable eyes of purest azure that invited everyone who saw them to become friends. Molly worked waiting on tables at The Lass Menagerie, where, due to her charming nature with the customers, she created a considerable amount of gold, which is a metaphorical way of saying the generous tips she earned translated into a quite satisfactory balance in the bank for the young woman. Her work outfit was that of a formal bunnygirl, which consisted of a black, strapless leotard with a white bunny tail, an unattached collar with an imitation bowtie on her neck, black bunny ears with white centers, black mesh stockings, and black high heels.

"Here you go, handsome," she announced brightly one evening, delivering a tray of buffalo wings to her favorite customer. She bent her legs slightly, locking the front of one knee into the back of another and arched her back as, with a backward motion, she placed the heaping platter on the table.

"Thanks, baby," said The Wolf, wiggling his sharp ears happily. He was called The Wolf and he was a wolf whose family had many generations ago moved out of the forest and into the city, where they walked on two legs, spoke human languages, and dressed just as people did. "Great job with the bunny dip."

"Gosh, thanks Wolfy. Is there anything else?"

A new voice entered the conversation. "Yes, you can get me a refill!" At the next table, a short man suddenly rose from his seat, standing maybe an inch or so over five feet in his shoes. He looked very angry as he banged an empty mug on his table. "I've been trying to get your attention for quite long enough!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir, but I just didn't see you there." Molly flashed him the smile that helped her earn such remarkable tips. "I'm busy with this gentlewolf right here, but I'll take care of you just as soon as we're finished, okay?"

"No, I'm a paying customer too, and I demand your attention now!"

"Hey, pal," interposed The Wolf, "she said she would be with you when she was finished with me, so stop bothering her."

"Okay," he mumbled, slumping back in his chair.

"Gosh, Wolfy, you're so forceful!" announced Molly in admiration. "Now, was there anything else I could do for you?"

"Sure, baby, you can sit down and join me." The Wolf patted the seat next to him invitingly.

"Oh, gosh, Wolfy, you know I'd really like to, but I just can't while I'm at work!"

"Yes, you need to fetch me my refill!" The short man banged his empty mug on the table again.

"Then how about your phone number?" asked The Wolf, opening his cell phone.

"That's it, if you're too busy flirting with other customers to take my order then I'm leaving," the short man announced angrily. He pulled out his wallet and slapped his gold credit card on the table. "Take care of my bill and try not to be forever about it!"

"Um, yes sir," agreed Molly, dexterously slipping the yellow bit of plastic off the surface without bending over. "I'll be right back with your receipt."

"And your phone number, baby," The Wolf reminded her.

"Right," said Molly. She darted to the cashier to run the credit card. "Hurry up," she whispered loudly, "I've got things going with Wolfy and I want to get back to him fast!"

So of course, the stupid credit card machine just had to be contrary. Maybe the mischievous gremlins in the works that night noticed her anxiety and capriciously misdirected a few electrons, for it seemed an eternity before the approval finally came through. Molly finally dashed back to her section of the busy restaurant, where she noticed to her immense disappointment that The Wolf had left during her absence, having accidentally forgotten to pay for his order, and, more importantly, without getting her phone number.

"Oh, I hope I run into him again soon," she thought sadly, turning to the rude customer, only to discover he had left as well. "The rules state that when someone leaves without his credit card that I'm supposed to turn it over to the cashier right away," she reminded herself. She started to head back, but then noticed that several customers had been seated while she had been away, so, making a mental note to take care of the credit card later, she glided over to see to their wants.

___

"Hi, excuse me sir, could you reach down and get me that package of clothesline, please?" asked Molly politely.

She had meant to stop at Verne's Hardware Store before going to work, only to have her errand slip her mind. She had not remembered it again until after she had changed into her work uniform. The store would be long closed when her shift ended, so, snatching her purse, she had darted across the busy street, the sight of a bunnygirl bounding across the way almost causing several accidents.

"Yes, that one right there. You see, I simply can't bend down dressed like this and it would have to be on the bottom shelf! Thank you so much, sir!"

Molly tossed the package into her shopping basket and, with an anxious glance at her watch, hurried over to pay for her purchases.

"That'll be $26.78 for everything," mumbled the old man behind the cash register.

"Here you go!" exclaimed Molly, flashing a credit card and then suddenly pulling it back. "No, wait, that's the wrong one. That's the one that rude guy left behind!" She tossed it back into her purse and swiped another. "I was supposed to have turned that in days and days ago! Well, I'll make it a point to do so just as soon as I get back to work!"

"Here's your receipt, Ms. Miller. Did you need some help carrying out your purchase?" Hope shone in the cashier's aged eyes.

"No, thank you, but it was very sweet of you to offer. Really, everybody who works in this store is always so helpful, which is why I always shop here! Um, could you lift that bag so I can carry it? Thank you!"

Molly hurried across the parking lot, almost deserted except for a lonely white van parked at the edge near some bushes. She noticed absently large gold letters on the vehicle spelling a long name that started with an R. Smaller letters underneath read, "Licensed Contractor." "Now if I can cross the street without any trouble – oof!"

"Oof!" echoed another voice from the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry, knocking you down, sir. I didn't see you there!" exclaimed Molly in consternation.

"Yeah, you're good at not noticing me," growled the individual Molly recognized as the rude customer from the Lass Menagerie. He wore dusty work clothes and scuffed boots. He stood up slowly, brushing himself off.

"But I'm glad I ran into you! You left your card behind the other day, so, um, here it is!"

"Thank you for returning it," he replied very unpleasantly, snatching it from her hand. "I suppose you had a good time charging all kinds of things on it, hmm?"

"Now, that is simply not true!" protested Molly. "I would never do such a thing, and besides, I'm sure you canceled the card as soon as you realized it was missing."

"No, I didn't cancel it, because I thought I would find it again!"

"Well, you really shouldn't do that Mr. um, oh dear!"

The shopping bag slipped out of Molly's hand, spilling out the package of clothesline, which rolled to a stop at the strange man's feet.

"How very convenient," he murmured, picking it up. "Providential, almost."

"I wonder if you would be a dear and pick up my shopping bag for me?" asked Molly anxiously. "It's getting awfully late!"

He handed Molly her shopping bag, but kept the clothesline, tearing open the packaging.

"Oh, please, I wish you would do that!" exclaimed Molly.

"You think you can run up charges on my card?" He passed some length of rope through his hands, once, twice, thrice, and snipped it off with a small pocketknife. As Molly looked on in astonishment, he repeated his actions, cutting different lengths. "I'll teach you a lesson!"

"I don't see how cutting up my clothesline will teach me a lesson. I think it's just mean to do that, but I don't have to spend on you anymore. I need to get to work and – eek!"

As Molly turned, the man wrapped a length of the rope around her midsection, pinning her arms against her sides! Molly opened her mouth to give a scream, but a handkerchief filled her mouth, silencing her. He quickly finished tying more of the rope around Molly's torso and her legs. Although Molly's inclination was to fight back, the nature of her costume severely restricted her motions, so her abductor quickly had her tied to his satisfaction.

He lifted the young woman, heading towards the van. Molly looked around anxiously, but the shrubs kept her from the view of passing motorists, and no one else was in the parking lot. There was no sign that anyone inside the store noticed her being carried off, either. He placed her inside the back of his vehicle, and then, observing that Molly had nearly worked the cloth out of her mouth, poked it back in and sealed her lips with a strip of duct tape from his tool box. With a gleeful chuckle, he seated himself in the driver's seat and drove the van off into the dusk.

___

It was immediately clear to Molly that the house was in the midst of extensive remodeling. Naked bulbs on long extension cords dimly lit the interior, revealing missing sections of walls. Electric saws rested on sheets of plywood supported by sawhorses, while tape measures, levels, hammers, and other carpenter's tools lay scattered in the sawdust on the floor. Thick drapes covered the windows.

Molly's abductor had driven his vehicle into the garage, closing the large door before opening the van doors and carrying her, lying in his arms, into the house, along with her purse and shopping bag, which he had dropped to the floor. He had then stood her up against a wooden beam running from the floor to the ceiling, securing her with extension cords wrapped around her legs and torso.

He had left her alone for several minutes, while Molly struggled frantically to get free, but with no success. Finally, he reappeared, snapping his cell phone closed. "I just got through speaking to my credit card company. They verified that you had not used it for any purchases." He spoke these words as if they displeased him.

"Mpfff!" replied Molly. She had told him that at the beginning! Now if he would set her free….

"But I still think it was pretty suspicious that you kept it all that time."

"Mpfff!" Molly had meant to turn it in, she really had, but she was just so busy and it had kept slipping her mind and….

"So what I think is, you were planning on using it, after all!"

"Mpfff!" That really made no sense! He could have easily cancelled the card and it would have been no use to Molly!

"You like what I'm doing to this house?" he asked abruptly, but Molly turned her head, making no reply. "Don't think the owners will come back unexpectedly, by the way. I spoke to them as well, and they are enjoying their vacation in Hawaii very much.

"In the backyard there is an old well, no longer used and no longer wanted. I knocked down its circular wall earlier, so there is only a hole in the ground, although very soon I will safely cover it up so that no trace of its existence will remain."

He walked over and tugged one of the extension cords surrounding Molly without actually loosening it. "Now what do you say I remove these cords…"

"Mpfff!" agreed Molly with enthusiasm.

"…and then drop you in that well!"

"MPFFF!"

"Kersplash!" He waved his arms wildly. "And no one would ever find you! And that's how I deal with people who ig – I mean, who try to steal from me. Right into the well you'll go and no one the wiser, unless…"

"Mpfff?"

"I'll give you one chance." He stepped forward closer to Molly. "I know you never really paid any attention to me, so here's what I'll do. I'll give you three shots to guess my name. If you can, I'll set you free. How about that?"

Molly desperately cast her mind back. What was that name on the credit card? What was that name printed on the van. "Rumpelstiltskin!" she cried out triumphantly, or tried to, but all that came out was a weak "Mpfff!"

"No, my name isn't 'Mpfff,'" he informed her gleefully. "Try again!"

Molly looked at him in alarm. Wasn't he going to take her gag off if they were going to do this? She desperately tried to work her tongue around the packing in her mouth. "Rmpfff."

"No, that's wrong too. Last chance!"

Molly tried desperately to say Rumpelstiltskin; she did everything she could to pronounce the word. But although she took her time and tried her hardest, she simply could manage anything coherent. "Rmplmpfff!"

"Oh, sorry, you were so close! Now it's into the well with you!"

"Help, help!" Molly tried to call out, but all she could make were weak mews.

"There's no point in calling out for help. There is no way any person outside could possibly hear you! No, it's into the well with you. You can't get loose and no person is going to come to your rescue!"

___

"Help, help!" called out Molly again.

"Why do you keep doing that? I just told you, there's no way any person could possibly hear you call for help!"

"Did I hear someone call for help?" asked The Wolf pushing the front door open. He flapped his sharp ears and then, noticing Molly, strode over to her side. "Hey, what's-your-name, what's the big idea of tying Molly up?"

"Mpfff!" echoed Molly.

"My name is Rumpelstiltskin!" screamed Rumpelstiltskin in fury. "Rumpelstiltskin! Why can't anyone ever remember that?"

The Wolf ignored his outburst, instead peeling the tape from Molly's face and then pulling the handkerchief from her mouth.

"Oh, Wolfy, it was horrible! Rumpelstiltskin said he was going to toss me down an old well and then cover it all over so no one would ever find me!"

The Wolf growled softly, giving Rumpelstiltskin his fiercest look. Tying up damsels never bothered him in the slightest, but tossing them down wells was carrying things entirely too far!

"Now wait a second," stammered Rumpelstiltskin. "I wasn't really going to. I just wanted to do something dramatic so she would finally notice me once and for all. In fact, there isn't even any well outside. Go check, if you don't believe me."

"That still doesn't make everything all right," retorted Molly hotly. "Scaring me like that."

"Yeah, I think we need to have a little talk," decided The Wolf, taking Rumpelstiltskin by an arm and steering him towards the garage.

"Um, Wolfy where are you going?" called out Molly anxiously. "I'm still tied up here!"

"Relax, baby, I'll be right back," he promised her.

Molly spent a few anxious moments alone, but the connecting door to the garage eventually reopened and in sauntered The Wolf, rubbing a knuckle and looking his usual jaunty self. "Wolfy! You didn't do anything unpleasant to Rumpelstiltskin, did you?"

"No, baby, I just explained a few things to him in the way I thought he would best understand and then he drove away in his van as fast as he could."

"Oh, that's good. Um, could you untie me now?"

"Sure, baby." The Wolf bent down and unwound one of the extension cords binding Molly's legs.

"Oh, and I need to get to work! What time is it, Wolfy? I must be ever so late, although if I hurry I can get there and work the rest of my shift until midnight and maybe still, um, Wolfy, why did you stop untying me?"

"You don't need to worry about going to work, baby. You've missed enough of it by now, so you can miss the rest of your shift, too."

"Yes, I do Wolfy. I'm always very reliable and tonight's going to be so busy and they'll need me there."

"No, baby, don't worry about it. They can manage without you for one day. We'll spend the evening together instead, yeah, that's what we'll do."

"No, Wolfy, I just have to go in, I really do, but I'll go out with you just as soon as I get off, okay? So, could you untie me, please?"

"Sure, baby," he agreed pleasantly, although he made no move to do so, instead settling himself comfortably on a sawhorse. He retrieved his cell phone from inside his jacket and pressed a couple buttons, filling the empty house with soft music.

"Um, Wolfy, that sounds really nice, but I thought you said you were going to untie me!"

"I'll get right around to that, baby," he assured her, "just as soon as my watch says it's twelve o'clock."


End file.
